


Charmed

by Anonymous



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Babysitters, Fluff, Lots of it, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 15:53:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15368046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: babysitting AU in which Dick’s got game and Jason’s afraid of being outdone by his eight year old brother.





	Charmed

High School

At first Jason was aggrieved that, at fifteen years old, Bruce still didn’t trust him to watch over his ten and eight year old brothers, instead hiring a babysitter for the night. Sure Jason perhaps wasn’t the most responsible fifteen year old at school, and maybe he tended to join in rather than disperse Tim and Damian’s fights, but Bruce could have shown him some trust, given him a chance to prove himself. 

Of course, these were Jason’s sentiments before he discovered the babysitter was hot. 

“So, uh, do you go to GothamU?”

Tim and Damian looked up from their mac and cheese in surprise, and Jason resisted the urge to scowl at them, instead grinning across the table at Dick Grayson in what he hoped came across as charming.

(It in fact looked slightly strained, but Dick Grayson didn’t pick up on that.)

Dick Grayson laughed, and Jason was pretty sure he felt endorphins release in real time in his brain.

“Not yet. I’m still stuck in high school,” he said, spearing a clump of mac and cheese. “I’m saving up to go, though.”

“Oh really?” Jason said. “What year are you?”

“Senior,” Dick said, smiling over his mac and cheese. Jason was pretty sure he had never been more charmed, even if he has had much better mac and cheese in his day. 

“M’ a Sophomore,” Jason said, straightening his shoulders. Though he was finally beginning to straighten out and fill up - a late bloomer, as Bruce phrased it- he still felt a bit gangly around the shoulders. “You know what you’re going to major in yet?”

Tim and Damian were now whipping their head back and forth, coming out of the shock that their holed up brother was conversing amicably with a stranger and starting to smirk knowingly. Or, at least Tim was. Jason doubted Damian even knew what love was (no, no, no, _love?_ Did he just think that? Jason couldn’t be in _love_.)

“Criminal justice,” Dick answered. “I want to join the police force afterwards, either here or in Bludhaven. That’s the dream.”

Before Jason could ask him why, Damian whistled with the faux charm only an eight year old could pull off without a perverse aftertaste. Jason simply stared, unaware that Damian could whistle at all.

“What a brave pursuit, Grayson,” Damian remarked. “It seems your inner beauty is even more outstanding than your outer, though I do not think the city of Gotham deserves your kindness.”

Whatever hopes Jason had that Dick would freak at Damian’s pompous lexicon and crisp undertones of a British accent (that no one, not even Bruce, new the origin of) were dashed as the eighteen year old leaned over and cooed at the third grader, who smirked proudly despite pushing away Dick’s grabby hands. 

“Aren’t you just a little charmer,” Dick said, pouring more water into Damian’s cup. “Wait till this one grows up. They won’t know what to do with you.”

Later that night, as Jason stumbled into the kitchen for a homework snack - Tim and Damian long tucked away in bed - Dick clubbed him on the shoulder with a wet hand before returning elbow deep in dishwater. 

“Your brother is absolutely adorable,” Dick chirped, scrubbing intensely the base of a pot. “He even pecked me on the cheek after I tucked him in.”

Jason slammed the refrigerator door harder than he needed to. 

“Yep. Adorable,” Jason said.

College

If Jason had felt a bit indignant that Bruce didn’t trust him in high school, he was straight up offended when Bruce hired a babysitter during break when Jason was home from college.

“What’s your deal, old man? Not only am I legally related to them, I’ll watch them for _free._ You get that? No bling bling.”

Bruce sighed, adjusting his watch as though he were modeling for an ad targeting overworked rich fathers everywhere. 

“This date means a lot to me Jason, and I don’t want any incidents coming up. Besides, the kids like him. Damian especially.”

It didn’t quite kick in what Bruce meant until, once again, Dick Grayson appeared at the door, cheeks flushed from the Gotham winter. Out of nowhere, Damian ran down into the foyer into Dick’s arms, allowing himself to be scooped up into a hug, making Jason question just how often Dick came over. Even Tim, who was going through a bit of a tween angst phase, accepted Dick’s embrace with only a slight grumble. Then Dick’s eyes settled on Jason with a hint of confusion, before recognition settled in.

“Jason! I haven’t seen you since high school!”

Before Jason knew what was happening, Dick Grayson was in his arms, smelling faintly of cinnamon and noticeably a good few inches shorter than Jason now. He stood frozen until Dick pulled away, giving him a good pat on the shoulder. 

“Bruce was right. You’re a bit of a late bloomer, aren’t you?” he said, and winked. Watching as the older man shrugged off his coat and plucked off his winter hat, sending tousles of dark hair falling against his rosy face, Jason realized for a second time that he was utterly fucked. He scampered after him into the kitchen to help with dinner. 

“Dang, Todd, when’ja learn how to cook?” Dick said as they settled down for dinner. It was pasta that night, along with asparagus courtesy of Jason.

Jason took a long drawl of milk, willing his face not to heat up.

“College kinda forced me,” he lied. If he had to be honest, it wasn’t so much that Jason was an above average cook and more so that Dick was below average. But Dick didn’t need to know that. “I got a few more recipes up my sleeves if you ever want to stop by.”

Jason internally vomited at his dialogue and, judging from Tim’s wrinkled expression, so was he, but Dick simply laughed, and all was good in the world. Jason wondered if there was a way to record that laugh without it being creepy. 

After dinner they gathered in the den for a movie, Tim and Damian crowding Dick before Jason even had a chance to strategically situate himself. Instead, he dropped into the old lazy boy Damian liked to read on that Bruce had been trying to toss out forever, feeling the springs groan beneath him. The movie was _Lady and the Tramp_ , and Jason never felt more single. 

After the movie, Tim retreated back into the dark depths of his room while Damian opted to go downstairs to the piano, practicing the lessons Bruce had just started him on. That left Jason alone with Dick in the kitchen, shoulders just a few inches shy of touching as they washed the dishes together. They’d been talking about finals when Dick turned to look up at Jason, eyes focused in a way that made Jason feel as though he were studying each of his freckles individually. Jason cleared his throat, uncomfortable.

“Sorry my old man made you come out here tonight. What the hell, I’m eighteen. I should be able to look after a couple of brats. It’s just-” Jason paused “-they get along so much better when you’re here.”

Dick looked back down, fishing a cup out of the frothy water. 

“Hey, what can I say, I’m a natural,” Dick smirked, nuding Jason with his shoulder. Jason let himself rock, lulling in the full gravity of the impact. 

“So, you plan to have kids someday, huh?” Jason asked, feeling his heart beat a little faster. Dick hummed, wiping the brim of the cup clean. 

“I hope so. At least two. I wouldn’t mind three.” Dick smiled to himself. “But if I do end up joining the police force, I might only have time for one. But I’ll spoil that one rotten,” Dick said with a wicked grin. “What about you? You think you can handle any?”

Jason shrugged, trying to imagine something tiny resembling himself running across the living room floor. “Eh. We’ll see,” he said. “I haven’t even decided my major yet.”

They continued washing the dishes, occasionally making soft comments as Damian’s piano music drifted up dimly through the floor. Jason felt his thumb brush against something in the water.

“Oops,” Dick murmured, grinning up playfully. He tilted his head, as though analyzing something. “Dang, Todd. When’ja get so tall?”

_Okay Jason, play it cool, play it cool-_

“You said so yourself. I’m a late bloomer.”

_Not bad._

“Not just tall, though. You filled out too.” Dick winked playfully, suddenly closer than ever. How was that possible? Jason didn’t see him move. “Have you been working out or something?”

It was at that moment Jason realized Dick had big game. 

_Come on, just say something!_

“Maybe. You’re not doing so bad yourself.”

It was through sheer willpower that Jason pushed that sentence through his mouth. To his relief, Dick laughed in that lighthearted, inoffensive way he could, throwing his head back and exposing a strip of neck that had Jason staring. 

_Fuck it Todd. We die as men._

“S-say,” Jason stuttered. “You not going anywhere over break, are you?”

“Nope,” Dick said happily, eyes gleaming.

“So you’re not busy this weekend?”

Later that night, after Dick left, Jason draped himself across the living room couch, staring dreamily up at the ceiling fan. Bruce was unknotting his tie by the hat rack, eyeing Jason curiously.

“What happened to you?” he asked. 

“I had a good night,” Jason said. Bruce nodded, a slight smile edging into the corners of his lips.

“Me too.”

The Real World (or so they call it)

“Hey, hold still,” Jason scolded. The five year old squirmed as Jason bandaged the cut that nicked its way across her nose. 

“Alright, there you go. Now where are your brothers?” Jason asked, glancing anxiously at his watch. As though on cue, a seven year old boy came running down the hall, laughing heartily before crashing into Jason’s leg. 

“What in the world are you doing?” Jason said, straightening the boy’s clothes. “Go sit with Alice. Where’s Papa?”

“John’s hiding under his bed again,” Al said, pointing down the hall. “Papa’s trying to get him out.”

Jason sighed, running a hand through his hair. The doorbell rang right as Dick emerged from John’s bedroom, carrying the toddler in his arms. 

“Please tell me that’s them,” Dick said tiredly, setting the toddler down on the couch beside his siblings. Sure enough, Tim and Damian were waiting behind the door, having the decency to look partially bashful at being late. 

“Whoops?” Tim said meekly. Jason shook his head.

“If you survive the next few hours, I’ll even tip you,” Jason said, smoothing out his shirt. “Remember, no nuts for Alice.”

“Bed by eight for John,” Dick chimed. 

“And desseeerrrt for Al!” Al cheered. Jason shrugged.

“Sure, why not.”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Damian said. “Unlike some, we are fully competent. Now go. You’re late.”

The two made it just in time for their reservation, the watier seating them at a small booth in a quiet corner of the restaurant. It wasn’t until they sat down that Jason felt his shoulders relax. Dick pouted at him from across the table.

“You’re so far away,” he said, nuding Jason’s shin with his foot. “Come closer.”

Jason chuckled, scooting out of the booth and sliding in next to Dick.

“You think they can survive those little monsters?” Dick asked, leaning his head against  
Jason’s shoulder. 

“Are you kidding?” Jason said. “They’ll feel right at home.”

Dick chuckled, and leaned in closer as Jason tipped his chin up with his thumb. 

“Now let’s stop worrying and enjoy some us time,” Jason whispered, before covering Dick’s lips with his own. They were as smooth and soft as they had always been, though it felt far too long since Jason had the time to slow down and notice. They parted softly, lips wet. 

“This is the dream, isn’t it?” Dick asked softly.

“Yep,” Jason said, and kissed him again.


End file.
